Thanks once again, my friend. For the BIOS Recovery Image File issue, many have said that you can’t overwrite a corrupted ME with a new ME firmware to fix/correct the corruption, so I was wondering if implementing the Dell BIOS Recovery Image File process would overcome the “need to clean”. In other words, I was wondering if the Dell process was so thorough, that it did the cleaning at re-boot. Come to think of it, if you were not in boot dire straits, and could use the regular exe upgrade, I guess the same question would apply.
I still have my doubts about a Dell update corrupting the ME region, but one thing is for sure; your post will get to the answer/solution one way or another! Thanks again.
> .\MEInfoWin64.exe
Intel(R) MEInfo Version: 11.8.86.3877
Copyright(C) 2005 - 2020, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
Intel(R) ME code versions:
BIOS Version 1.40.0
MEBx Version 11.0.0.0012
GbE Version 0.8
Vendor ID 8086
PCH Version 31
FW Version 11.8.96.4657 H
Security Version (SVN) 3
LMS Version 2316.5.1.12
MEI Driver Version 2433.6.3.0
Wireless Hardware Version 2.1.77
Wireless Driver Version 23.90.0.2
FW Capabilities 0x31111140
Intel(R) Capability Licensing Service - PRESENT/ENABLED
Protect Audio Video Path - PRESENT/ENABLED
Intel(R) Dynamic Application Loader - PRESENT/ENABLED
Intel(R) Platform Trust Technology - PRESENT/DISABLED
Re-key needed False
Platform is re-key capable True
TLS Disabled
Last ME reset reason Global system reset
Local FWUpdate Enabled
BIOS Config Lock Enabled
GbE Config Lock Enabled
Host Read Access to ME Disabled
Host Write Access to ME Disabled
Host Read Access to EC Disabled
Host Write Access to EC Disabled
SPI Flash ID 1 EF4019
SPI Flash ID 2 Unknown
BIOS boot State Post Boot
OEM ID 68853622-eed3-4e83-8a86-6cde315f6b78
Capability Licensing Service Enabled
OEM Tag 0x00000000
Slot 1 Board Manufacturer 0x00001028
Slot 2 System Assembler 0x00000000
Slot 3 Reserved 0x00000000
M3 Autotest Enabled
C-link Status Enabled
Independent Firmware Recovery Disabled
EPID Group ID 0x1FDD
LSPCON Ports None
5K Ports None
OEM Public Key Hash FPF 963847BF4FA55A02B326C561C56BCE68820041CAC285B43AE1F1B1FEB3FED4A4
OEM Public Key Hash ME 963847BF4FA55A02B326C561C56BCE68820041CAC285B43AE1F1B1FEB3FED4A4
ACM SVN FPF 0x2
KM SVN FPF 0x0
BSMM SVN FPF 0x0
GuC Encryption Key FPF 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
GuC Encryption Key ME 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
FPF ME
--- --
Force Boot Guard ACM Enabled Enabled
Protect BIOS Environment Enabled Enabled
CPU Debugging Enabled Enabled
BSP Initialization Enabled Enabled
Measured Boot Enabled Enabled
Verified Boot Enabled Enabled
Key Manifest ID 0xF 0xF
Enforcement Policy 0x3 0x3
PTT Enabled Enabled
PTT Lockout Override Counter 0x0
EK Revoke State Not Revoked
PTT RTC Clear Detection FPF 0x0
And here’s the MEManuf64 output:
> .\MEManufWin64.exe -verbose
Intel(R) MEManuf Version: 11.8.92.4222
Copyright(C) 2005 - 2022, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
Windows OS Version : 10.0
FW Status Register1: 0x94000245
FW Status Register2: 0x000B0506
FW Status Register3: 0x00000030
FW Status Register4: 0x00684004
FW Status Register5: 0x00001F01
FW Status Register6: 0x47C00BC9
CurrentState: Normal
ManufacturingMode: Disabled
FlashPartition: Valid
OperationalState: CM0 with UMA
InitComplete: Complete
BUPLoadState: Success
ErrorCode: No Error
ModeOfOperation: Normal
SPI Flash Log: Present
FPF HW Source value: Original FPF HW Fuse Bank
ME FPF Fusing Patch Status: ME FPF Fusing patch NOT required
Phase: ROM/Preboot
ICC: Valid OEM data, ICC programmed
ME File System Corrupted: No
PhaseStatus: CALL_NEXT_MODULE
FPF and ME Config Status: Match
FW Capabilities value is 0x31111140
Feature enablement is 0x11111140
Platform type is 0x11240421
No Intel Wireless device was found
Feature enablement is 0x11111140
ME initialization state valid
ME operation mode valid
Current operation state valid
ME error state valid
OEM ICC data valid and programmed correctly
MFS is not corrupted
PCH SKU Emulation is correct
FPF and ME Config values matched
Request Intel(R) ME BIST status command... done
Get Intel(R) ME test data command... done
Get Intel(R) ME test data command... done
Total of 17 Intel(R) ME test result retrieved
Policy Kernel - Boot Guard : Self Test - Passed
Policy Kernel - Embedded Controller : Power source type - Passed
MCA - MCA Tests : Blob - Passed
MCA - MCA Tests : MCA Manuf - Passed
SMBus - SMBus : Read byte - Passed
VDM - General : VDM engine - Passed
GFX - General : Sampling engine - Passed
USBr - General : Storage - Passed
USBr - General : KVM - Passed
PAVP - General : Verify Edp and Lspcon Configurations - Passed
PAVP - General : Set Lspcon Port - Passed
PAVP - General : Set Edp Port - Passed
Policy Kernel - ME Password : Validate MEBx password - Passed
Policy Kernel - ME Configuration : PROC_MISSING - Passed
Clear Intel(R) ME test data command... done
MEManuf Operation Passed
I booted the bios recovery and had a FAT32 USB inserted with the BIOS_IMG.rvc file.
It created a BOOTEX.LOG file.
Checking file system on \\?\Volume{46e2e73c-d4fd-11ef-a489-d481d732eef7}
The type of the file system is FAT32.
One of your disks needs to be checked for consistency. You
may cancel the disk check, but it is strongly recommended
that you continue.
Windows will now check the disk.
Volume Serial Number is EF5A-EBDF
Windows has scanned the file system and found no problems.
No further action is required.
30704976 KB total disk space.
13632 KB in 1 files.
30691328 KB are available.
16384 bytes in each allocation unit.
1919061 total allocation units on disk.
1918208 allocation units available on disk.
After it reflashed the BIOS and stuff, it booted Windows.
No change, still a very slow boot.
I see you updated to latest 5520 firmware 1.40 and ME updated, too.
For a Lenovo 13th gen Thinbook it takes 34s from pressing the start button to Lenovo logo and 23s from end of Post to Windows logon screen. It was faster once, but I think they added protections and code checks to the firmware.
Taking the output of MEInfo and MEMAnuf and the fact that your ME seems to update fine I don’t think that you’ll win much by doing the procedures - except knowing for sure that this wasn’t ME corruption. But since this procedure aren’t risk free I would take it as it is.
Super slow boot. It takes about a minute to get to the POST screen and another minute to start the bootloader (from Windows).
Once I make changes to the BIOS settings, pressing save freezes the laptop for about a minute.
When I use the bootable setup_var tool (which allows me to pretty much write anything to any address. I use it to undervolt the CPU by 100mV), making a change takes about a minute before I can do something again.
So there’s something wrong with writing to the BIOS. Could it be a dying BIOS chip or something else?
I ordered the clip so that I can at least make a backup. Maybe it’s worth a shot to replace it?
It never occurred to you that fiddling with the NVRAM this way might itself be the cause? I thought we’re talking a stock firmware here…
Dump the firmware, replace your NVRAM with a stock NVRAM EFI volume and check then how the system reacts.
NVRAM isn’t like CMOS where you simply can reset by removing the battery…
One of these histories where you get told the relevant parts first completely at the end…
I used the efi tools to figure out which address contains the voltage for the CPU by extracting the v1.18 bios.
I have to add to this that this happened before I ran the setup_vars. It was already slow at around bios v1.20 up to the latest 1.24. I then flashed 1.18 (but since it didn’t downgrade ME, I couldn’t undervolt with the Intel XTU tools, but I was able to use setup_var with success). So the things I did with setup_var did not affect the system. I obviously first did a read to check the value before changing
I’ll read out the BIOS chip once the clip arrives.
Unfortunately the Dell bios recovery 3 on my laptop doesn’t specifically mention NVRAM reset (as in the documentation), so I’m not sure if it resets (nor do I know if it picked the recovery file from the USB or one saved on the hard drive). The automation of recovery 3 is annoying to say the least.
By the way, won’t the service switch on the motherboard be useful in this case?
Can you post a couple pictures of what you believe is the service switch on this motherboard? I would love to be wrong on this for a few reasons, but I don’t think the board has that.
OK, I missed that. If you can get the computer into physical service mode, you shouldn’t have to mess with a programmer. You’re only looking to clean NVRAM and ME (even though that’s probably not a problem), flash, and move on.
Have you tried to get it into service mode, and then run fptw64 -d backup.bin?
If you can get it into service mode, you should be in great shape. Take a look at my last post in this thread, and give it a go.
If you can flash a clean NVRAM and ME and you still have a problem, then it may be a hardware issue.
I would discontinue worrying about undervolting for the time being. I don’t want to read about this issue, but with new Precision 1.40 firmware, it shouldn’t be an issue.
I moved the switch and held it (as it’s spring loaded). Booted windows and ran the command, unfortunately error 318, no read access.
Running the meinfo program shows that it indeed has no read access.
I also came across this thread stumbling on the same issue (when it comes to dumping the bios without a programmer).
Hi, I received the programmer clip. I used IMSProg to read the BIOS twice (it took about 3 minutes to read it once) and compared the SHA512 of each saved binary to verify that it is read correctly.
Included the dump of my BIOS. I’m definitely not experienced with using the BIOS modding tools (I’ve only successfully injected ReBarUEFI on a Z97 Asus VII Ranger).
What would be the next steps? Or can someone take a look and verify if there’s actually something wrong with it?
Note: this is with the Dell 5520 1.40.0 bios flashed on my XPS15.
Hi. I think all you really have to do is replace the nvram with the stock nvram from the Precision 5520 v 1.40 bios upgrade, and then clean the ME per the directions you’ve already been pointed to.
What CPU do you have in your laptop? The only real mod you may want to consider is upgrading your CPU microcode.
I believe it has an i7-7700HQ inside. Unfortunately, the laptop now doesn’t boot after reading the BIOS.
It throws 3 orange lights and 3-5 white lights. The blinking pattern isn’t consistent, as it flashes very rapidly in between. Not sure if I blew up something while reading the chip…
Edit: It’s not bricked, just again takes ages to boot…
I was going to point you back here, but your dell bios update structure is slightly different than that one (and the XPS 15 9570/Precision 5530). Instead of being sure about it, I think you’re going to save the first two EfiFirmwareFileSystem2Guid volumes (in the extracted 1 Precision_5520_1.40.0 – 1 System BIOS with BIOS Guard v1.40.0 bin) “as is” with UEFITool NE, and then replace what’s in your full bios with them using UEFITool_028.
Maybe lfb6 will hop in here to advise. The more intense procedure will be cleaning the ME.
When you read the winbond bios chip, did you unplug the battery and hit the power button for good measure? Glad you got it to boot.
Pretty sure there’s a cpu microcode update you can easily apply with UBU - check cpu906E9_plat2A_ver000000FA_2024-03-07_PRD_E8FA415B.
Don’t do any ‘modding’ on a semi bricked device! You add an additional variable which potentiates the amount of uncertainty especially if you don’t have a clear reason for undesirable behaviour.
NVRAM is 80 % of its size filled with a sort of dumps which definitely shouldn’t be there!
lfb6, thanks for doing this, and the confirm on the nvram emptying/cleaning. And thanks for pointing out nvram errors.
I think we could have checked this by running fptw64 -d backup.bin -bios. His laptop should allow for that - and he should be able to run that after putting it back together.
I ran it on my laptop, and noticed some (Text-less) Invalid NVAR enty(s), but no dump thingies.
That command with the -bios option doesn’t dump the full bios. A full bios dump attempt using fptw64 -d backup.bin won’t work for me either - I get this error: Error 185: FCERR is set
But I can dump just the bios region. You wouldn’t think there would be difference between these laptops, but my ME version is a 12.
